While Christmas shopping last weekend with my mom and nieces, I allowed myself to once again be lured in by a pushy salesman at a kiosk at the Mall of America.

After discovering my revolutionary curling iron at the last kiosk, I have resolved to lend a critical ear if time permits.

As soon as the guy grabbed my hand and started buffing my nails with yet another revolutionary product, my mom looked at me disapprovingly. I knew what she was thinking  that this was a waste of time and we had shopping to do.

She whispered to me, “I never listen to these guys.”

“I never did either, until I was stopped by the curling iron guy. I love that thing  these guys have cool stuff,” I whispered back.

My mom, nieces, and I were soon laughing at this expressive half-Italian and half-Israeli man.

“Ugly nails  no more,” he yelled in his Italian accent.

Basically, the product is a four-sided file that buffs away ridges or cracks and then the final step is to buff the nails with the smooth side which adds so much shine that the nails appear as though they have clear nail polish on them, but they don’t.

I very seldom will wear nail polish and luckily I wasn’t wearing any that day so that this product could be demonstrated.

I’ve been informed that this is not a new invention, but it’s new to me!

I had no other choice but to buy the kit. Unlike my curling iron, and to my surprise, this product had a decent price tag.

My mom was so impressed, she had to have a kit as well. Then our new Italian/Israeli friend threw in a third kit for my nieces for free.

The buffing is said to only have to be done every three to four weeks. We’ll see about that. Even if it only lasted a week or two, that would be worth it. It doesn’t take that long and it could be done while watching TV or reading a magazine.

For someone like me, who thinks applying nail polish is a waste of time because two days later it’s already chipping and looking tacky, this product made sense.

Plus, nail polish contains chemicals that I do not care to expose myself to. However, nail polish made with natural ingredients can be found, but then again, you’re dealing with ugly chipping.

What was really cute was my boys when I showed them. They thought it was so cool, they sat down and gave themselves manicures immediately.

To check this product out, go to www.attitudeline.com, click on products, then on hand and nails.

Kid-isms

My 8-year-old was assembling a new board game when he said, “Mom, I need help with this. I read the ‘constructions’ but can’t figure it out.”